No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as
if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in
mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
it tolls for thee.
"Join me Luke...wheeze... No man is an island!"
I am a Rock, by Paul Simon
A Winter’s day
In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
I’ve built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
Its laughter and its loving I disdain.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
Don’t talk of love,
But I’ve heard the words before;
It’s sleeping in my memory.
I won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armor,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.
Task 1
Examine the texts "I am a Rock" and "No Man is an Island". Do you think John Donne would agree with the ideas and sentiments presented by Paul Simon? Using specific reference to the texts, defend your opinion. (1-2 paragraph(s))
Task 2
How might the theme(s) from the texts relate to the novel? Choose either Donne or Simon's text, and find a line or quotation in the novel that you feel develops a similar theme. Justify your choice.
Task 3
Post your compositions for Tasks 1 and 2.
Task One:
ReplyDeleteThe two poems I am a rock and No man is an island have the opposite messages. I think that John Donne would disagree greatly with Paul Simon’s message. The poem No man is a island written by John Donne states the message that no person is alone, everyone is part of a community. This message is created in the line “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.” The opposing poem I am a rock, written by Paul Simon states “I am a rock, I am alone, I am an island.” This quotation sends the message that being solitary and feeling nothing is the best thing for you. John and Paul have different perspectives on the world, John’s a positive one and Paul’s a negative one.
Task Two:
The theme from the poem I am a rock can relate to the novel when describing Dally. The message from the poems states that no one needs feeling and friendship to be happy, those things just cause pain, if you are “tuff” like a rock nothing will faze you. You will always be happy. In the novel, Dally thinks that if you become an island and don’t let anyone inside, you will feel no sadness or pain. I think the main reason Dally decided to kill himself is because he thought there was no point now of living after Johnny death and he didn’t know how to deal with the loss of such an important person.
Natalie
TASK 1
ReplyDeleteI think that John Donne would not agree with Paul Simon's ideas and sentiments. John Donne states in his texts that "No man is an island, entire of itself." While Paul Simon states the exact opposite by saying "I am a rock. I am an island." John also says that "I am involved in mankind." Paul, on the other hand prefers to be "Hiding in my room." These quotations show that John Donne believes that every man is connected to their fellows, whether they like it or not. In Paul's poem the character thinks he's a loner and theres nothing anyone can do about it.
JoSePh
I believe that John Donne would disagree with the theme from the poem I am a Rock by Paul Simon. Paul Simon’s poem is saying that he enjoys being by himself, and doesn’t want to feel the love and friendship that others give off. By saying, “I am a rock. I am an island.” (Line 13-14) Paul Simon tells us that he doesn’t want people around him and that he has “no need for friendship.” (Line 11) John Donne’s poem No Man Is an Island tells us the exact opposite theme. He says that nobody is alone in the world and everyone is, of a sort, connected. By stating “every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” (Line 2) he tells us that every person on the earth are together and are not alone. In conclusion, both poems are telling me opposite themes.
ReplyDeleteBoth of these poems relate to the novel, however I believe that Paul Simon’s poem relates the most to The Outsiders. Paul Simon believes that he is an ‘island’ and can get through life by himself. His poem relates to the novel because it is describing Dally. Dally believed that he could get through life by himself and didn’t need friendship because “friendship causes pain” (line 11). “Johnny was the only thing Dally loved” (page 152) but when Johnny died, Dally had nothing to live for. He got too attached to one thing and didn’t stop to make other friends. When that one thing went on then he didn’t have anyone to turn to. He never felt anything because he believed that he was a ‘rock’ or an ‘island’ and tried to get through life by avoiding people. Obviously, being a ‘rock’ or an ‘island’ in the long run doesn’t help you in your life.
Shay
I think that John Donne wouldn't agree with Paul Simon because John Donne says that no man is an island, but in the poem, “I'm a Rock,” Paul Simon talks about him being an island and invincible. In the first line of John Donne's poem he says, “ No man is an island entire of itself.” This clearly states that nobody is by them selves. In the poem “ I'm a Rock,” Paul Simon says “ I'm a rock, I'm an island.” This tells us that the person in the poem thinks he is an island.
ReplyDeleteThe person in the poem “I'm a Rock,” Relates to Dally in “ The Outsiders.” Dally thought that he was by himself because he never really wanted to love anyone or anything just like the person in “ I'm a Rock.” He thought he would be better off alone and he thought he would be tougher if he didn't care for anyone. He did love Johnny, but he died and caused him pain. “ Johnny was the only thing he loved and now he is gone.” This line tells us that he loved someone, but that person left him and caused him pain. In the poem, “ I'm a Rock,” the person says he loved someone, but the person he loved caused him pain.
By Prabtaj
Task 1:
ReplyDeleteThe themes in the poems ‘I am a Rock’ and ‘No Man Is an Island’ are very different. I think that John Donne (from ‘No man is an Island’) would definitely disagree with what Paul Simon (from ‘I am a Rock’) is saying. In ‘I am a Rock’ the narrator believes “I am a rock, I am an island” (line 6 and 7). The man in Paul Simon’s poem is feels that being alone and in hiding is a good thing because no one can ever touch him and therefore hurt him.
John Donne’s poem clearly states that everyone is part of a whole and should not feel isolated and alone. This is proven in the line “the bell tolls for thee”. This line means that even when you might not know people, if something happens, you are affected because everyone is part of the main. He believes that no one is an island or a rock and that no one should feel that “friendship causes pain” or that “loving... disdain”. Therefore, these two poems give entirely different messages.
Task 2:
Both of these poems relate to the novel The Outsiders, however I believe that “I am a Rock” relates more powerfully. In The Outsiders, Dally is confident that “you get tough like me and you don’t get hurt”. This statement is contradicted by Johnny and Ponyboy who now know that being part of the continent and the main, you will be happier and stronger. Dally has not let anything into his life and therefore is terribly miserable and distraught. Dally, unlike the poem, did not figure out that “ a rock feels no pain and an island never cries”. He killed himself all because he treated himself like a rock and an island. The character Dally definitely relates to the poem “I am a Rock”.
-Sophia
I think that john Donne wouldn’t agree with what Paul Simon was saying in his poem. I think that because the poems are completely different and in the song about I am a rock he is almost celebrating being a rock or an island. The tune to the song is a very happy song and the singer seams to be celebrating being a rock and island. In the poem by John Donne he I stalking about how no one is alone and no one is an island. As you can see the two writers would not agree with what each other were saying.
ReplyDeleteThe poem relates to the novel because in the novel Dally could be Paul Simon and Johnny could be John Donne because Johnny understands life before he dies and Dally kills him self because he is alone and has no one. He acts like an island or a rock. He pretends to do this to protect him self like the man hiding in his room.
by tofer
Task 1:
ReplyDeleteJohn Donne and Paul Simon both have written poems (or songs) that have totally opposite to one another’s. I think that if the two ideas were presented to each side, then a disagreement would arise between the two. Paul Simon says in his poem that being a rock is good, because nothing can touch you, and nothing can hurt you. John Donne’s poem “No man is an island”, revolves around the idea that although there may be times when you try to break away from the continent, you are still a part of it. We see this in the line “Every man is a piece of the continent, part of the main.” Paul Simon says that “I am alone.” Obviously, the two viewpoints will clash if brought together. Paul Simon’s poem is basically saying that if a man wants to be an island, he can break away from other people and live in solitude. John Donne would disagree completely.
Task 2:
Sometimes people who love others get pushed away and hurt, and choose never to love again. We see this in Paul Simon’s poem “I am a Rock.” The narrator of the poem says that “If I never loved I never would have cried.” After being pushed away by a loved one, he pushed away the world and told it to never return. We see this theme in “The Outsiders” when Dally’s character is developed more in his visit to the countryside. His parent’s showed no compassion when he was growing up, and though he tried to make them love him, eventually he gave up, and by doing this he pushed away everybody else. By vowing never to love again, both characters will end up lonely and afraid for the rest of their lives.
Mary